When I read these lines I gave a little laugh and knew that I was in for a treat.
' Victor was the reservation John Travolta because he still wore clothes from the disco era. He had won a few thousand dollars in Reno way back in 1979, just after he graduated from high school. He bought a closet full of silk shirts and polyester pants and had never had any money since then to buy anything new. He hadn't gained any weight in thirteen years, but the clothes were tattered and barely held to his body. His wardrobe made him an angry man.' Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie
Here are the rules. Show why someone should read the book you are reading. Show this by quoting a line or short scene, a paragraph, a description...something....anything...that you feel somehow epitomizes the book. It does not have to describe the subject of the book, though it can. It doesn't have to even make sense to anyone but you. But whatever you pick, it should be something that you feel should make a person curious about the book and think that they might possibly want to read it.
An alternative post could be using the same rule as above, pick out a scene, line etc...that epitomizes why one should not read the book you are reading.
I tag Enemy of the Republic, X, Trevor and Eric. (I did not tag you twice X) You don't have to make a post about it, just put it in your post at some point. It could be at the beginning, end whatever. Then tag some others. I know Trevor hates to be tagged but comeon! This is a fun one. An original (at least I hope) way to talk about what you are reading and suggest books to others. And of course, I realize that it may be a little while before you can put it in because you have to read your book first. So, I will wait while impatiently tapping my foot.
25 comments:
although you didn't tag me, i will play along because this is a fun game. but, as is my way, i'm changing the rules slightly and instead of using the book i'm reading now i'll use the last book i read (because really how can i excerpt something that epitomizes something i'm not finished yet?). here's my exerpt:
"But they go and abolish the external form of slavery and arrange so that one can no longer buy and sell slaves, and they imagine and assure themselves that slavery no longer exists, and do not see or wish to see that it does, because people still want and consider it good and right to exploit the labour of others."
And that's why I read Tolstoy. Those lines were first published in 1889, and they still apply today. In the form of a well-crafted story the man was so politically astute, and so beyond and outside what anyone else was thinking. While others dichotomized, he moved to another plane.
The book is 'The Death of Ivan Ilych and Other Stories', by Leo Tolstoy.
By the way, you've convinced me to read Reservation Blues.
From Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (who is, deceptively enough, a British man):
"Gay Sex, incidentally, was something we were even more confused about. For some reason, we called it 'umbrella sex'; if you fancied someone your own sex, you were 'an umbrella.' I don't know how it was where you were, but at Hailsham we definitely weren't at all kind towards any kinds of gay stuff. The boys especially could do the cruellest things. According to Ruth this was because quite a few of them had done things with eachother when they'd been younger, before they'd realised what they were doing. So now they were ridiculously tense about it. I don't know if what she said was right, but for sure, accusing some one of "getting all umbrella" could easily end in a fight."
Benji-I didn't tag you because I don't know you too well, but of course you are welcome. I've never gotten around to reading Tolstoy. That is an incredible cool line that shows someone who was looking past surfaces and it still holds true in some situations today. So, you won. I will have to check out Tolstoy.
Trevor-Wow! That is a very provacative excerpt. It makes me want to read the book so that I can see why you think it epitomises it.
I thank you for my first tagging, BBE. I normally might ignore this but the topic is perfect; this will be cool. Besides, BBE, you're all right so I wouldn't ignore you.
My book is called Disgrace, by JM Coetzee, set in aparthied South Africa.
'It happens every day, every hour, every minute, he tells himself, in every quarter of the country. Count yourself lucky to have escaped with your life. Count yourself lucky not to be a prisoner in the car at this moment, speeding away, or at the bottom of a donga, a bullet in your head. Count Lucy lucky, too. Above all Lucy.
A risk to own anything: a car, a pair of shoes, a packet of cigarettes. Not enough to go around, not enough cars, shoes or cigarettes. Too many people, too few things. What there is must go into circulation, so that everyone can have a chance to be happy for a day. That is the theory; hold to the theory and the comforts of theory. Not human evil, just a vast circulatory system, to whose workings pity and terror are irrelavent. That is how one must see life in this country: in it's schematic aspect. Otherwise, one could go mad. Cars, shoes; women, too. There must be some niche in the system for women and what happens to them.
see you soon, BBE. Write well and enjoy your reading.
Okay, I shall do it--just finished blog 2 on that subject (you know. Tons of grading today. Can I put it in your comments box? By the way, I hope you got my email!
Eric-I'm very interested in Africa. Of course I've watched Hotel Rwanda and a movie similar called Sometimes in April. I've also been reading a little bit about the abducted children in Uganda. I've become curious about how much policies and actions of the US and Europe have cause these crises. A lot I'm certain.
Okay. Sold! I'm not going around to blogs this weekend. I'm working, so that's why I haven't been by.
Enemy-I did get your e-mail. And of course you can put it on the comment section. I guess a blog entry would't work so well for your blog huh
Okay, I am ready. I am reading a book called Soul Mates by Richard Webster. It isn't for everyone. It is for people who are either seeking a soul mate, believe they have found one or wonder what the term actually means. It also deals with past life regression--do you think you have gone through previous incarnations? Does your soul mate travel with you?
Paragraph: The reason why so many people believe in reincarnation is that throughout history, countless people have had memories of their past lives. A few have entered into their current lives with strong memories of their most recent past lives, and frequently this information has been able to be verified. Dr. Ian Stevenson is the world's leading expert on people who have conscious memories of their past lives. Now in his eighties, he has spent most of his life researching this subject and investigating the claims of people who recall their past lives.
Some people may think this is all a crock, but can you offer anything more substantial....
hey no worries BBE, it's a fun game I may initiate at some point over at my place.
Hey Eric, that's funny 'cause coatzee is up next on my list. different book though.
My prof recommended Coetzee's Disgrace. She always knows what my writing needs to have added to it next, and makes the suggestion. And I listen, since she's a damn good writer herself.
And Sherman Alexie is very good reading, btw, I have no doubts you'll love Reservation Blues through and through. I always liked this quote from him since I'm part Apache and part Cherokee (as well as all the alcoholic nationalities of europe): "'Native American' is a guilty white man's term". I agree. Indians is just fine, even if it's not accurate or PC.
I love how in his short stories he always mentions the white-owned liquor stores that only open on the fist and third weekends of the month, just in time to take back the federal money paid to the reservation residents. He has a great eye for how people exploit each other's weaknesses in our society. Much respect to him.
Okay, BBBE. For you, I'll do a tag. I'll get to it eventually--trust me, I always do.
Hey stopping by haven't been here in a long time.
EOTR-Well, you know that I like that subject.
Benji-Glad someone liked the idea.
Eric-He seems like he will be a great writer. I read his bio. He's quite amazing. So, were you actually raised with Indian traditions? Or is it too far back in your family.
Ny grand mother knows all the herbal and home remedies one could ever imagine. That, and she can garden with the best of them. She taught me young to garden and tend a spot of earth. I have read many Huron and Ojibwea myths. Other than that, no. I would love to go to the south west one day, and meet the Apaches. They were my favorites. They did not give up their fight and had to be completely subdued. Then each familly group was diveded in half, men and women seperated, brothers and sisters too, and half were sent to Florida's swamp regionsm, and the other half to northern Maine. In that way were a people indigenous to this land broken by our government. But even that couldn't last. The sons of Cochise and Jeronimo live in Arizona and New Mexico once more. And that's my eastcoast familly, Irish German and Apache. And my mom and grandmother are the same, but Cherokee blood.
That's the limit of my heritage. I dentify with it as much as anything, but really, most of what I know was from reading.
Thanks for asking.
Talk to you soon.
You know, I really do know how to spellcheck, I just always want to speak more than be perfect.
Ha!
And the chief I dissed by spelling his name wrong was Geronimo. Cochise was also a great chief, but before big G.
x-I'm sure it will be well worth the wait.
c-Thanks for stopping by. I haven't been visiting too many peoples blogs either. Only my regular. Time constraints.
Eric-My family has a business in Arizona. I went once and I will be going back, when I don't know. I won't go to a reservation though because I always get the impression of people going to look at the Indians like they look at animals in a zoo. I've even seen pictures that people have had taken, get your picture taken with a real-live Indian chief. Well, they make their money that way I suppose but I think it is disrespectful.
I don't have any native blood. I'm a mongrel from Europe. You know, I was on a blog one day of a friend who grew up in Europe. She doesn't blog anymore. She wanted to know why Americans call themselves Irish, German etc. She said that to the Europeans that is really wierd. We are just Americans. We've never been to those countries.
But we don't think there is any such thing as an American. Yes, you were born here so you are an American but there is no such thing as an American in the sense that there is such a thing as an Irishman, whose family has always been from there. I thought that was interesting.
I don't think it epitomises it, but I thought it was a funny little paragraph.
I agree. I've always thought of myself as a quintesential North American. But, I do like looking at the other cultures I hail from, besides Indian blood. The Irish, in particular, have my heart with their struggle against English domination.
England get the heck out of North Ireland!
OK, I'm better now.
Take care, BBE
see you around
when life isn't so hectic for you
Now I'm reading a book about spirit guides from the same author. After that, I am allowing myself the pleasure of a novel, then I have to read The Road to Serfdom for a reading group through my job. I bet X-Dell is familiar with it; I had never heard of it. This bit of light reading is an attack on Marxism and why it will fail--written in 1945.
Hey guys-I'll answer your comments later when I have more time. I have so much to do today. Blech.
Eric, I did manage to read your poem last night. I really liked it. The one about the spider
I always thank my silent readers, because not everybody will have anything to say, or sometimes even know what to comment.
Now, I need to actually write and not comment. Take care.
i think North Americans identify themselves as irish or whatever because roots are important - we need to feel we come from somewhere. and a lot of north american traditions are based on 'the old country', whichever one that happens to be.
Trevor-Your right, it was funny.
EOTR-I've mainly been reading novels lately. Are the books about spirit guides etc...deep? I have a hard time finding anything on the subject that is deep
Eric=I've been trying to write too. I'm always so damn busy!
Benji-I agree. That's what our country is about. We are a nation of immigrants. It is simply part of our tradition. I like my irish, czech and english but not my german so I ignore that.
Depends on what you call deep. This is more instructional. So far, nothing I have read in this series of the beyond has impressed me as profound--some of the writers are very poor at their craft. I think the best book I read about spirit guides is The Lovely Bones, a novel. Did you read that? It really stayed with me.
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